Skiing at Red Lodge

Michael took Jonathan skiing to Red Lodge, MT, this past weekend. They had a blast! They left Friday morning and got some skiing in that afternoon. Uncle Jon and Uncle Bret arrived that evening and they all enjoyed a day together Saturday. Here is a video from that day, but I told Michael he needs to do a bigger post about this with some of his own stories. So maybe tomorrow evening, I'll actually get him to do that. Until then, enjoy my little man skiing!

Annisia sings "Humpty Dumpty"

Annisia melted our hearts again with another song. I caught her singing "Humpty Dumpty" the other morning. She loves to sing, and her little lisps and d's for g's and w's for l's are cute...for now!

Finally! Some snow!

We seem to finally be getting some snow. Last weekend, we had temps in the high 60s...I think we even hit 70 degrees F on Sunday. Sunday evening, it started raining which turned to snow which became a blizzard by about 7am Monday morning. The wind was blowing so hard Monday morning. I went to teach my boot camp class and when I was leaving the YMCA, I was hit by a gust of wind while I was walking across the parking lot. I slid an inch or so...thought I was going to get blown over. Now that's a big wind! We had a day full of laundry and the kids played games on the computer while the wind and snow blew. Here is Jonathan creating...



The next day we went outside after the deck got shoveled. We had some fun on the big drift off the south deck. Jonathan tried riding the motorcycle down the drift. I think I am going to start worrying about this kid...he does the craziest things sometimes!



Annisia wanted to sled. So we brought her sled up to the top of the same drift, I put her in it and told her to sit very still, ran out to get the video, told her to lean forward and hoped she would lean the right way (as leaning backwards would mean a backwards fall of 3 ft onto a wooden deck...owww! Actually, Jonathan was behind her and helped her get going too.) She loved it! Listen to her and Jonathan squeal and giggle!



Jonathan joined Annisia on the sled. Watch Annisia when I say, "Lean forward..." She leans backwards! Eek! I am imagining the fall to the deck, that's why I start to rush towards them. Luckily, she's a smart little girl and listens to me and recognizes my gestures to lean the other way. Whew! What a fun time they had!




Then Jonathan and I shoveled the driveway. It was icy, but sort of just peeled off with the shovel. I would scoop some up, then toss it aside and it would slide across the driveway on top of the rest of the ice! Jonathan decided to call the ice dirt, and said it needed to be put on the new garden spot. So we loaded up the ice in our sleds and dumped it on the newly fertilized garden.

I love you!

These are a few sights that melted my heart.

Jonathan and Annisia chilling on their couch one morning.

When we went to Red Lodge a couple of weeks ago, we forgot the camera in the truck, so we didn't get any skiing pics. But when we finally got the kids to bed that night, I checked on them after a little bit. I found Annisia doing the ear pinch routine on poor Jonathan...but he was so tired and didn't even have a clue. I moved her over, but...

...she moved back. Now it was Jonathan's turn!

Daddy and Jonathan went out to the ranch to get a load of manure for the garden. While Daddy unloaded the fertilizer, Jonathan laid on top of the truck watching. Isn't that a cute pose?!

Boot Camp

O.K. Call me nuts (and if you knew me well, you will!) but I have been teaching a 6-7 a.m. boot camp class since March 9. All right, you, get up off the floor. I do know how to get up early, I just don't like it!! I didn't name the class, I just offered to do it. I have been leading a group cycle class for awhile now, and, last spring, a friend and I were co-teaching a class we called "Kick and Kore", incorporating some kickboxing (what I taught) and free weights and abs, what she taught. This is all at the YMCA, btw. Anyways, the class is a fun one...you never know what we're going to do until you arrive...heh, heh, heh!

So, this is what we did Wednesday, just to give you an idea of the style of class.

Indoor Boot Camp 1
This is a [Other] pattern from www.turnstep.com. (pattern 16784)
Warm-up: 5 minutes
30 seconds each: power walk, jog, side shuffle right leg lead, power walk, side shuffle left leg lead, power walk, walking lunges with upper body rotation, inch worm (hand on floor, walk out to front plank, walk toes in, repeat), power walk.

Balance:
* Single leg squat with reach forward x 8 each side
* Single leg squat with opposite leg sweep (touch to front and circle around to back) x 8 each side

Cardio/strength circuit #1 (using 8-12 pound weights)
* 1 Minute squats
* 1 Minute bent over rows
* 1 Minute speed skater cardio drill last 15-second increase intensity and bend knees deeper and reach low to the ground when going side to side
x 2 sets

Cardio/strength circuit #2 (using 8-12 pound weights)
* 2 Minutes walking lunges around room
* 1 Minute shoulder press
* 1 Minute side-to-side squat cardio drill. Last 15 second increase intensity and make them plyometric
x 2 sets

Cardio/strength circuit #3 (using 8-12 pound weights)
* 1 Minute stiff legged dead lifts
* 1 Minute pushups
* 1 Minute cross-country skiing cardio drill. Increase intensity last 15 second and make them split squat jumps
x 2 sets

Cool down: 2-4 laps walking around room

Core:
* 1 Minute crunches
* 1 Minute supermans
x 2 sets

* 1 Minute front bridge
* 30 Second side bridge each side
x 2 sets

Stretch: 5 minutes

Why don't you give it a try? Then comment the next morning (after you have taken two advil!)

Another year older...

Well, another year came and went for me. I made sure I had enough chores done before my birthday that I wouldn't feel guilty if I relaxed the whole day. Gramma and Papa took the kids last Wednesday which was fun for all of us. Then on Thursday, my birthday, we played.

In the morning, Michael put a blindfold on me and told the kids to lead me to the kitchen. He was thinking Jonathan would enjoy telling me which direction to go, when to turn, when to step down, etc. but Jonathan wasn't really into it. Annisia, on the other hand, just reached up and took my hand and started walking. It was really sweet.

We went to the job site for a little bit, then off to the park. The kids and I had a good time. Here are some pics to prove it!

Jonathan about to slide down the slide. He was hiding from the camera, the little imp!

My brave little girl on the swinging bridge.

Jonathan climbing the chain ladder. "Mommy, now it's your turn!" What?! Do you realize I am now 39? And you want me to climb this wiggly, chain thing?! O.K. Done!

Then off to the great woo, woo slide.

Annisia is fearless...down she goes!

After that, we went to Hardee's for some lunch and off to another park to eat it and play some more. By then, I was parked out. We were there for long enough and I pulled the "Annisia has to get a nap" punch and home we went! Whew!

Michael got his niece, Brady, to watch the kids and took me out to dinner and a movie. What a good day! Thanks, everyone!

5-4-3-2-1-and lift off!

Jonathan became quite interested in the whole space shuttle thing lately. His interest started before the launch, though, and accelerated because of it. We have watched several clips on YouTube which only increased his interest. We have some great books here in the library which he has been enjoying.

He built a rocket ship out of K'Nex, and after seeing the launches, he added rockets to the sides of the "shuttle", and a crawler like they use to bring the shuttle out. Enjoy!



Then, Jonathan got Annisia to be an astronaut with him. He is a little sponge, soaking up any information we tell him about the whole space and astronaut thing. Watch Annisia...she has information to tell me too!

What a weird winter...

We have had the weirdest winter. We'll get some snow, then temps in the 50s to 60s. Then freezing temps with no snow, then snow, then 70s. Strange! So here's another time we got some snow. The day before, we had some pretty good and pretty pretty frost. The kids like to get out in the snow. I got them some great long underwear from REI Outlet, and they like to wear it.
Jonathan was pretty excited to dig out his loaders from the wee bit of snow in the sandbox. But they needed to sit on the sunny deck until the snow melted off them and we could wipe the sand, etc off to bring them in the house.
The next day, at snack time, (notice we're having a nutritious snack...Ruffles! and, apparently, cow if Annisia's plate is any indication) we noticed all the icicles forming on the eaves. So we had to go out and pluck some off to eat! Did you ever do that when you were a kid? I did! Well, Annisia likes to chew on ice in any form, so she went to town on her icicle.

Jonathan, however, decided to be a dog or something! Typical boy, eh?

Then they were hamming it up for the camera!

At the Job Site...

So Michael's brothers have been building a pair of duplexes in the area. We have enjoyed going to the job site to observe a few times. One day, Uncle Bret took Jonathan in the skid steer while he was hauling some dirt around and backfilling. When that proved to be a little too bumpy and he was worried about Jonathan banging his head on the door, he parked that and got in the telehandler. What a privilege for Jonathan! When we got home, he pulled out all of his tractors, loaders, trucks and trailers and started playing "job site"! Here he is surveying the land...
Now he's putting the forks on the skid steer. (Literally forks...a plastic fork with the middle tines broken out and the other tines reinforced.) (What we do for our kids, eh?!)
Check out the video. He is remembering another day when they were pouring concrete, then that day when they were in the skid steer and telehandler. It's a kick!

Papa gave Jonathan another bow...

Yes...Papa gave Jonathan another bow. This one is designed for a 4 year old. He is really rockin' now!

Happy 50th Anniversary!

Michael's parents celebrated 50 years of marriage in February. We all went to a guest ranch south of town for dinner. It was wonderful! Lillian showed up in the coat Mike bought for her for a wedding gift. It looks like fur, but I think they called it "muton" or mutton. I think it's actually sheep? Anyways, it is lovely and she was/is lovely, and Mike was/is quite the dashing romantic fella! He did things for her all week...roses, breakfast cooked and served by two of the boys on the morning of the anniversary...romantic things, you see!

Look at these two! Aren't they beautiful?!

This is the family photo we had taken in December, along with the photo of just Gramma and Papa, a frame that said "We did..." under their wedding photo and "We still do." under the current photo, wine glasses from the grand girls, a gold cake cutter and server from Mike and Ang by the anniversary cake with a photo of Lillian in high school and Mike in the Marines (a combination of photos they both love), and truffles Kayla made.
Setting up the family photos we had framed for them...there's Heath, Jon, Angila, and Brady.

Kayla and our dear family friend, Jean, (and Angila's MIL), sharing a laugh.

Something funny is going on at that end of the table!

Brady read a letter Mandi and Jami sent to reminisce as they couldn't make it home for the party. Here, Lillian is sharing some story...probably about when the four grand girls were little! There are plenty of those!

Then laughing so hard about it because so many of the things the girls did were so funny!

Annisia enjoying her Shirley Temple (served in a shot glass, of all things!)

Uncle Mike and Jonathan discussing important things, like probably anything about horses or tractors!

Aunt Marti and Jonathan engaged in another discussion...(she's probably telling him to continue obeying his elders so he doesn't get in trouble like the kids she helps in Juvy!)

Then some family pics...This one is my favorite. Michael is tickling Annisia and Jonathan is having a ball, giggling about something!

Daddy and me!

Rest and Work...

Jonathan had his friends over again this afternoon, Feb. 24. That night he was tired. He asked to "read" some books in his bed, and this is how I found him a little later. HeeHee! He really likes Graeme Base's books...the one he is hugging is Animalia.

Then the snow and cool weather hit again. Michael and the kids brought more firewood up to the house. They really like riding in the wheelbarrow...

...and on Daddy!

Neighborhood visit!

We have had some lovely days here recently. One day, Feb. 23, to be exact, I asked Jonathan if he wanted a friend to come over in the afternoon while Annisia was sleeping. So we called a little boy across the street, but his mom said he was napping and wasn't feeling well. So we called a little girl up the road and her mom said, "sure!" Maggie came over for about 4 hours. They had so much fun. She is one month younger than Jonathan. They first played "construction". Jonathan was shoveling in some dirt by the garden, then adding a little sand to it. Then he was "pouring concrete". (Do you have any idea what they were currently doing at the job site his uncles are on?!) So Maggie got the grunt job of pushing the wheelbarrow. But they soon progressed to Jonathan's next favorite thing and that was shooting. He showed Maggie how to shoot his gun...
...then after the one shot she was indulged, he took the gun away. But she wasn't done! She chased him down the driveway, giggling! The chasing starts early, doesn't it?!
Then Maggie's little sister came over after her nap and we had all four here. Joanna is so sweet. She told her mommy, "I love Darla!" (heehee!) Look at those big eyes!

Emanuel and Rosa's visit

Emanuel and Rosa and Rosa's brother, Freeman, came for lunch one Sunday. Annisia decided Freeman was very nice and absconded with him! They played outside up and down the driveway. Thanks, Freeman!Jonathan thought Emanuel was the coolest. He was willing to play pirate while Mommy and Daddy got lunch ready.

But Jonathan must have received one blow too many!

Annisia cuddled up to Rosa after lunch. All these other women don't mind it when Annisia plays with their ears while she sucks her thumb. Me, I am tired of it. Annisia has her thumb in her mouth, the pinky of the same hand in Rosa's mouth, and is playing with Rosa's ear! And Rosa is loving it!

Take my picture, Rosa!

Playing catch and playing in the sandbox...that's what the boys are doing.

Running down the driveway...that's what the girls are doing!

Rosa, you have the coolest sunglasses! Time for another quick cuddle.